CARLSTADT, N.J., Feb. 26, 2010 – Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced Wonder, the fall/winter 2011/2012 edition of the PANTONE® VIEW Colour Planner. This multi-discipline color forecast book showcases the key color palettes of the season for women’s wear, menswear, active wear, cosmetics, lifestyle, industrial and graphic design.

Wonder is a term that embraces the three key attitudes that will be important for fall/winter 2011/2012: Blue Sky, a concept that speaks to the wonder of fantasy and how it allows us to explore; Science, a vision invoking the wonder of engineering and scientific exploration, and what that lets us become; and Cult of Nothing, a viewpoint reflective of the wonder of rediscovery and our need to slow down. However, just as our ideas and our creativity do not adhere to strict rules, neither do the three themes of wonder. These three pools of ideas can either flow together and mingle, or remain apart and pure.

The PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner Winter 2011/2012 centers on the concept of wonder to encourage designers to move outside the box; think holistically about a product’s color and purpose; use subdued color to support dramatic silhouettes; use humor and the art of surprise; juxtapose texture, weight and pattern; break boundaries in order to solve problems; and think about what really inspires, and then recreate that feeling for others.

“Color is an intrinsic part of the visual experience; it stimulates our emotions and significantly influences the decisions we make,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of fashion, home and interiors at Pantone. “Consumers today are looking for products that are special and unique, and connect with their emotions. Retailers should not overlook the strategic use of color and importance of creating visual excitement in their stores. The inspirational imagery and forward-thinking color palettes in PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner Winter 2011/2012 provide retailers with the direction they need to create a fresh new look on the selling floor that will entice the consumer to spend.”

Imagination allows quietly casual and uniform cameos to be developed, animated by brightness to amplify material innovation and technical audacity. This is a cool and rational range of tones, grounded with material neutrals.

Fairy Tale is a palette of dark and light, the shades in between which cannot be defined and blur in the shadows. Reds, rich browns and airy pales combine to breathe life into an otherwise dark combination.

Science

Pharmaceutical is a color story about skin, the multi-layered structural membrane given to us by nature, and the boundary and frontier between our bodies and the environment. Browns, beiges and pinks anchor this palette.

We need authenticity, something 100% Pure. In our world of chromatics, we discover how nature reflects wave lengths in basic colors to defend itself, to confuse, to warn, to intimidate. Cyan, magenta, yellow and black combine in this palette.

Cult of Nothing

Family Ties is a complex grouping of close tones that emerge out of the shadows. The colors in the half-light become de-saturated, creating a dreamy and tender softness. It is a portrait hidden in muted, dusky, oiled layers in shades that become indistinct and blend together.

Material stripped bare, absence and a lack of ornament, a discourse without digressions, strata added like the page of a book are the inspiration for Surprise of Being. We uncover a neutral range, mild and inexpressive, covered with oxygenated greens.

Lunar is a cool understatement of grays that open up onto two secret worlds of wonder. Red energizes and shakes the calm. A soft, natural gold carries a hint of warmth and a glimpse of hope.

Published bi-annually, 18-24 months ahead of the season, the PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner is based on the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standard in the world. It is produced by a team of leading visionaries from all over the world with expertise in different disciplines, providing a comprehensive color forecasting service for multiple design areas, including men’s and women’s apparel, beauty, lifestyle, graphic and industrial design. Within each of the season’s most directional color palettes, a general introduction outlines the colors included and the philosophy behind them. In addition, a specific breakdown of each palette covers harmonies, suggested color combinations, and suitable patterns and fabrics according to end use. Individual color swatch cards for all 64 colors are also included, housed in a protective box at the back of the book, as well as a CD containing imagery from this edition to be used for story and presentation boards.

Pricing and Availability
The PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner Winter 2011/2012 is available immediately for U.S. $750 from Pantone directly at www.pantone.com, or from PANTONE distributors nationwide. Call (888) PANTONE for a list of distributors. PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner is published bi-annually by Metropolitan Publishing BV.

About Pantone
Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world’s color authority for 45 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com.

About X-Rite
X-Rite, Incorporated, is the global leader in color science and technology. The company, which now includes color industry leader Pantone, develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. X-Rite’s expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com.